Up Please
by Matthew Kaiser
Summary: A little story about Zuko and Azula bonding as children. What happens when Ursa leaves her little boy in charge of Azula, what will happen? Pain? Adorableness? Probably neither.


Having a little sister was very bothersome to young Zuko. For the first two years of his life he had the complete attention of not only his mother but the nurse-maids as well. After the birth of Azula however, all of that changed. His mom devoted a lot more attention to the new baby and all the nurse-maids were cooing and aweing over the little princess. Baby Zuko had found his new sister interesting for a while as she would often close her little hands around his index finger and chew on his cheek with her toothless mouth. Zuko thought it was cute at first, but when he was four, Ursa told him he had to be more responsible now. Now he`d have to take care of Azula as well. All of the attention to his little sister had planted a seed of resentment in Zuko, building up for over a year. By the time he was five he was completely annoyed by Azula and how much attention she was getting.

" _She`s taking mommy away from me."_ He thought as Ursa was playing with Azula.

Azula had a new hair-do that Ursa was trying out. Her hair had two bangs that perfectly shaped her face in that of an almond while the rest was tied up in a tuff at the top.

" _Her hair looks dumb."_

Zuko wanted to say that out loud but he knew it would only get him punished, so he just slumped himself in the corner of the royal lounge, enviously glaring over at Azula as she wrapped her tiny hands in Ursa`s stringy hair. Ursa looked over at Zuko making his sour face.

" _I wish he`d be a little nicer to his sister."_ She thought. _"Why can`t they get along?"_

Ursa couldn`t understand why her little boy refused to get along with his sister. She feared if this continued that Zuko and Azula would start to physically resent one another. Ursa was about to talk to him when a servant walked in.

"Lady Ursa, your presence is required in the throne room." He said.

"Okay, let my husband and Lord Azulon know I`ll be there in a few minutes." She said.

The servant bowed and left. Ursa put her daughter down, Azula whimpered a bit as the last of her mother`s hair slipped from her puny palm.

"Zuko, come over here." Ursa said.

Zuko ran over as quickly as he could.

"Yes mommy?" Zuko asked.

"Zuko I`m going to talk with daddy and grandpa for a little while, so I need you to look after Azula until I get back."

Zuko frowned and looked at the ground.

"Don't wanna."

Ursa kneeled and firmly cupped her son`s chin.

"Now Zuko, mommy needs you to be mature now." She said. "I won't be gone for long and there will be guards outside, but I need you, you specifically to watch your sister okay?"

Zuko looked Ursa in the eyes, he took a deep breath and put on a serious face.

"Okay mom, I`ll look after Azula until you return." He said.

Ursa smiled and kissed Zuko`s forehead, she left, the servant in tow. After Ursa`s departure Zuko turned to Azula and gave her a stern look. Azula blinked at him with her big golden eyes, she giggled and crawled over to Zuko. Zuko sighed and tried to ignore her, Azula however had begun to tug at his shirt.

"Up! Up!" She said.

Zuko looked at her dumbfounded, he really wasn`t in the mood to pick her up nor was in any mood to interact with her period.

"No Azula, go play with your toys." Zuko said.

Azula blinked she was so used to getting anything she wanted, that the word no didn`t even register to her.

"Up, I wan up!" She said again.

"No, Azula, you`re too big for me to lift, now go play with your toys."

She blinked again, small tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

"Pease, up!" She persisted.

Zuko shook his head and removed Azula`s hands from his shirt.

"No, if you want someone to carry you I`ll tell the guards to get a nurse-maid."

"NO! I wan you! Pease Zu?" She whined.

She stamped her little feet into the ground as the tears in her eyes got bigger.

"No Azula, I`ll play with you, but I won`t lift you, I don't even think I can."

Azula sniffed and rubbed her eyes, she shook her head and pouted. She was determined not to give up.

"UP! NOW!" She demanded.

Zuko balled his fist, he couldn't believe that she was trying to tell him what to do. Mom had left him in charge and he wasn't going to give in to this baby`s commands.

"No Azula!" He said forcefully, "For the last time, I`m not going to carry you or pick you up, if you want someone to pick you up, just wait for mom to come back, now stop crying and go play with your stupid toys!"

Azula blinked again, she sat there in shock as her brother stared angrily at her. Azula looked down as her tears finally began to run down her cheeks, she whimpered and sniffled as she crawled back to her toys. Small sobs began to escape her as she sat in the middle of her toys, this made Zuko very nervous. He knew if Azula started crying too loud he`d get in trouble, Zuko took a deep breath and calmed down. He walked behind the shaking toddler as she was trying to calm herself down.

"Azula?" He said gently.

Azula turned to look at her brother, big tears running down her face, her eyes were a little red and her mouth was quivering. Guilt racked the prince`s brain as he looked at his sad little sister.

"I`m sorry Azula," He said. "Please don`t cry."

Azula held arms out once more, Zuko let out a sigh as he realized there was only one way to stop her from crying. Zuko kneeled down and held out his own arms, Azula grabbed them and pulled herself up. Zuko wrapped his hands around her back and lifted her, she was a bit heavy, though he was only five so he wasn`t going to have an easy time lifting her. Finally Azula locked her little legs around his waist as Zuko held his sister in his arms the best he could. Azula gripped Zuko`s shoulder`s so she could support herself.

She was still crying a little and Zuko had a hard time looking her in the eye. Azula gripped Zuko`s nose and patted it, he found both irritating and adorable. She placed her hand on Zuko`s cheek trying to turn his head, Zuko eventually turned his head, letting Azula believe that she did it.

"Love you." She said.

Azula`s eyes were still wet as the guilt continued to build up in Zuko.

"Love me?" She asked.

"Oh Azula, do you think I hate you?" He asked.

Azula nodded. Zuko actually felt hurt by this. Tears were staring to build in his eyes now. He wasn't trying to be mean, right?

"I guess I haven`t been as nice to you as I should be." Zuko said. "I`m sorry for being mean Azula, mom is your mom too and I have to accept that, I love you, I promise and mean that."

Azula stopped crying finally and began flailing her arms happily she pulled herself closer and kissed Zuko on the cheek. She rubbed her face against his as Zuko readjusted his arms to support her.

" _She`s actually kind of cute."_ Zuko thought.

He rubbed her back and kissed Azula`s forehead, she giggled and squeezed his shoulder.

"I guess having a sister would be okay." Zuko said.

"Nap time." She replied, letting out a yawn.

"Hold on, let me put you down."

Azula shook her head, then buried her face in Zuko`s chest, closing her eyes as she drifted off to sleep. She mysteriously got a bit heavier and Zuko realized he need to sit down before he dropped her. Zuko awkwardly dropped to his knees as he shifted Azula`s body into his lap he stretched out his leg and let Azula to snooze comfortably. Her adorable sleepy face was starting to make him feel sleepy, he yawned before resting his cheek on Azula`s head. Zuko rubbed Azula`s back as she hugged him tighter.

"Aw, you two look so cute." Ursa said.

A startled Zuko looked up to see his mom, entering the room.

"I`m glad to see you two finally getting along, now why don`t I put Azula down for her nap. When she wakes up you can play with her."

"Okay mom."

Ursa gripped Azula`s body, causing her to whine a bit, she quivered and hugged Zuko tighter.

"I think she wants to hug me some more."

Ursa chuckled, finally glad her children were getting along "Why don`t you both take a nap, when you wake up, you can play with Azula."

Ursa picked them both up and settled her children on her lap, Zuko leaned himself and Azula against Ursa`s chest as she wrapped her arms around her children. Gently rocking them to sleep.


End file.
